GrACE Newsletter

GrACE gives thanks for every trustee, teacher, parent, student, parishioner and clergy member who carries the mission of Catholic education forward with love.

Together, we are the living proof that Catholic education remains a gift — to the Church, to the province, and to every child we serve.

With deep gratitude for your witness, your prayers, and your steadfast support of Catholic education,

Blessings and much love.

'Jesus, I trust in You'!

Kate

Executive Director | GrACE

2025 marked a turning point for Catholic education across Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon. This was the year GrACE formally incorporated under the Societies Act — establishing a permanent, mission-anchored framework that secures stability, accountability, and continuity for the road ahead.

This step was never about legal formality. It was about stewardship — building the structure that allows faith, advocacy, and gratitude to flourish for generations to come. Incorporation provides a firm frame; it ensures that what began as a movement of gratitude continues as a mission of witness.

Yet structure alone does not give life. The Church has always known that the Spirit moves through people — trustees who govern with conviction, teachers who form minds and hearts, clergy who shepherd, parents who trust, and students who carry the promise of tomorrow. They are the flame that gives light and warmth to the frame we have built.

While structure holds the framework, faith gives it purpose. The conviction of Catholic educators, leaders, and families keeps the mission alive — generation after generation.

Catholic education does not endure because of systems or titles. It endures because of people — hearts that burn for the mission and hands willing to serve.

With incorporation complete, our structure is stronger — but what has truly been renewed is GrACE's calling.

Catholic education has never depended on systems or titles. It endures because of people — ordinary Catholics whose faith burns quietly but powerfully and who give, teach, serve, and lead because they believe the Gospel belongs in every classroom and every heart.

A movement always begins with one person who chooses conviction over comfort — who asks what I can give for the sake of the mission. That single act of faith, unseen and uncelebrated, is how renewal begins.

When one person steps forward, light spreads. When many do, it becomes a flame that cannot be contained. That flame is Catholic education — kept alive only by witness, courage, and generosity of heart.

And when many hearts and hands come together — across classrooms, parishes, and communities — Catholic education is a radiant gift to the Church, to Alberta, and to the world

Catholic education is one of Alberta’s greatest gifts — a constitutional right, a living expression of our faith, and a proven model of academic excellence for more than a century. In a world that often forgets its roots, our Catholic schools continue to shape young people with clarity, purpose, and hope.

Across Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon, our Catholic schools stand as communities where faith is lived, truth is taught, and the dignity of every child is honoured. This is not simply an educational system. It is an inheritance — one handed down, protected, and strengthened by generations of families, trustees, clergy, and educators who understood the importance of forming both the mind and the soul.

GrACE exists to celebrate this legacy. Each month, our newsletter shines a light on the stories that make Catholic education strong: classrooms alive with creativity, parishes walking with schools, students discovering their God-given gifts, and communities living the Gospel in action.

Catholic education includes:
• Catholic schools, early learning programs, and post-secondary Catholic institutions;
• Teachers and staff who educate with both skill and witness;
• Clergy who shepherd and accompany our school communities;
• Trustees who guard our constitutional and Catholic identity;
• Families who entrust their children to a Catholic formation grounded in truth, compassion, and academic excellence.

In an increasingly secular society, Catholic education carries a mission that matters more — not less. We are called to be a light, a steady presence, a beacon of hope rooted in Christ. And every success story across our 24 Catholic school jurisdictions is a reminder that faith still forms hearts, transforms communities, and strengthens our province.

This month GrACE shines the spotlight on The Calgary Catholic Education Foundation (CCEF) and Catholic Education Sunday.

Catholic education remains one of Alberta’s greatest blessings — a constitutional right, a living tradition, and a proven model of forming young people in faith and excellence. The CCEF’s steadfast commitment to supporting Catholic education in Calgary and area reflects this mission clearly.

For more than 15 years, the CCEF has helped enrich learning for 64,000 students across 120 Catholic schools. Their support strengthens classroom innovation, leadership development, outdoor learning, social justice initiatives, and faith-based projects — all of which deepen the formation of students in mind, body, and spirit. Their work reflects a simple truth: Catholic education flourishes when the whole community stands together.

Catholic Education Sunday — November 22–23, 2025 - Theme: “Anchored in Christ, Beacon of Hope.”

Each year, Catholic Education Sunday gives our faith community a moment to reflect on the gift of Catholic education and the people who serve it with dedication — trustees, educators, clergy, parents, and students.

This year’s theme, “Anchored in Christ, Beacon of Hope,” captures the heart of our mission. In a culture that shifts constantly, our schools remain rooted in Christ and committed to forming young people who can navigate the world with clarity, compassion, and conviction.

Contributions received on Catholic Education Sunday directly support the work of the CCEF, ensuring that enhanced learning opportunities continue to grow across the Calgary Catholic School District.

Why This Matters for GrACE

GrACE exists to strengthen Catholic education across Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon by sharing the stories that reveal its depth and purpose. The work of the CCEF is a strong example of how community, Church, and school can work together to advance Catholic identity, sustain excellence, and support the formation of future generations.

By shining the spotlight this month on the CCEF and Catholic Education Sunday, we honour the longstanding partnership that helps our students flourish — and we affirm once again that Catholic education is a mission worth safeguarding.

Pope Leo has appointed Bishop Stephen A. Hero as the eighth Archbishop of Edmonton, with installation set for January 23, 2026, at St. Joseph’s Basilica.

Archbishop-Designate Hero is no stranger to Edmonton. Raised here from childhood and ordained for this Archdiocese in 2000, he has served as parish priest, Vocations Director, seminary formator, and Rector of St. Joseph Seminary. A spiritual theologian and liturgist by training, he brings a strong commitment to the Church’s mission, clear teaching, and the formation of future leaders.

Since 2021 he has served as Bishop of Prince Albert, where he has been deeply appreciated for his pastoral presence, humility, and fidelity to the faith.

For Catholic education, this appointment is a welcome blessing. Archbishop-Designate Hero’s long service in Edmonton and his dedication to priestly and lay formation reflect a steady commitment to the Church’s life and mission—an anchor for the work we share in our Catholic schools

Fr. Paul Kavanagh, Archdiocesan Administrator, welcomed the appointment with gratitude, assuring the Archbishop-Designate of the prayers and support of the faithful.

GrACE joins the Archdiocese in offering our warm prayers and congratulations to Archbishop-Designate Stephen Hero as he returns home to shepherd the Church in Edmonton. Ad multos annos!

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• Post your pictures and tag us so we can share them and celebrate too

Student volunteers are warmly invited to represent their School in GrACE’s

social media campaign, new outreach, and database development.

All thoughts on how we can we better utilize technology platforms to ensure timely and effective communication within the wider Catholic education family and beyond will be gratefully received.

Please email gracedirector7@gmail.com to express interest and suggestions.

• GrACE Alberta - Catholic Education Week
• 'Instruction of the Congregation for Catholic Education, ‘The identity of the Catholic school for a culture of dialogue, from the Vatican, 2022
• Growing in Faith Symposium — 5 Marks of Catholic Education
• CCSSA Catholic Leadership Quality Standards
• 5 Marks of an Excellent Catholic Leader
• The Excellent Catholic Teacher
• Calgary Catholic Schools
• Redeemer Revelations

Together, let us reclaim what is eternal. Catholic education is not merely surviving—it is reviving!